The Gaynor Family Regional Library in Selkirk is just under $5,000 away from unlocking a $300,000 matching donation from the Gaynor family, bringing the much-anticipated children’s expansion significantly closer to completion. The library is actively under construction, with the StoryTime space currently turned into a work zone. The library’s campaign materials originally indicated the matching pledge would run to the end of 2025; readers are encouraged to confirm the campaign’s current status with the library.
According to the Gaynor Family Regional Library, new features are already being installed. A bear-shaped shelf named Viktor, part of a Seven Sacred Animals woodland installation, is in place. Young adult seating, child-friendly Zetty Tails stools, and a new children’s entrance called the Rotary Hideaway are also being added.
The campaign received a major boost in March 2026 when the Manitoba government committed $600,000 through the Manitoba Growth, Renewal and Opportunities for Municipalities program. The Rotary Club of Selkirk has also pledged $100,000 over two years for the Rotary Hideaway, with half of that already presented.
The expansion will add roughly 6,000 square feet of dedicated children’s programming space. Library officials say the current facility, which opened in 2014 as an 18,000 square foot building, serves an average of 500 patrons daily. The project addresses growing demand for youth and family services in Selkirk and the surrounding Interlake region.
Jim and Betty Anne Gaynor, former owners of Gaynor’s Foods, donated $1.5 million to the original library construction and have given an estimated $6 million to local projects overall. Their current matching commitment of up to $300,000 provides a direct incentive for residents to push the campaign past its final milestone.
The library has not announced a firm completion date, but with construction underway and fundraising nearly complete, families can expect upgraded children’s areas in the coming months.
